Salvage apparatus for damaged ships and airplanes



June 27, 1 J. D. PATTERSON 2,989,938

SALVAGE APPARATUS FOR DAMAGED SHIPS AND AIRPLANES Filed April 1, 1957 3Sheets-Sheet 1 I I IINVENTOR.

June 27, 1961 J. D. PATTERSON 2,989,938

SALVAGE APPARATUS FOR DAMAGED SHIPS AND AIRPLANES Filed April 1, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet 2 June 27, 1961 J. D. PATTERSON 2,989,938

SALVAGE APPARATUS FOR DAMAGED SHIPS AND AIRPLANES Filed April 1, 1957 5Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent ce 2,989,938

2,989,938 SALVAGE APPARATUS FOR DAL AGED SHIPS AND AIRPLANES John D.Patterson, P.0. Box 918, Birmingham 14, Ala. Filed Apr. 1, 1957, Ser.No. 649,756 1 Claim. (Cl. 11450) This invention relates to salvageapparatus for damaged ships and airplanes. It has for its main objectsto provide such apparatus that will be highly satisfactory for thepurpose intended, simple in structure, comparatively cheap tomanufacture, easy to use when necessary, and very durable while beingmaintained for use.

A further object is to quickly produce buoyancy at the critical time ofimpending disaster in the sinking of a ship or airplane. Also theapparatus may be used to assist in raising sunken ships and airplanes.

Other objects and advantages will appear from the drawings anddescription.

By referring generally to the drawings it will be observed that FIG. 1is a plan view of a ship and showing where the parts are located for usein the operation of salvage; FIG. 2 is a side elevational View of a shipwith parts of the hull cut away to show the ship on a rock and also someof the parts used in the operation; FIG. 3 is a front elevational viewof FIG. 2; FIG. 4 is a plan view showing location of parts necessary forthe salvage operation; FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the partsshown in FIG. 4; FIG. 6 is a view on line 6-6 of FIG. 4; FIG. 7 is aplan view of an airplane showing in broken lines the par-ts and theirlocations for operation of the salvage operation; and FIG. 8 is a sideelevational view of FIG. 7.

Similar reference numerals refer to similar parts throughout the severalviews.

Referring to the drawings in detail it will be seen that the apparatuscomprises a tank 1 for containing compressed air or any suitable gasunder pressure, pipes 2 and 3 leading to tanks 4 and 5, under control ofan electric operable valve 6. Tank 4 contains an acid activator such asG. E. No. 12,502. Tank 5 contains what is known as liquid resin. Thereare two mixing tanks 7 and 8. Pipes 9 and 10 lead from the materialtanks 4 and 5 and are provided with electric operable Valves 11. Themixing tanks are provided with discharge pipm 12 that lead to desiredlocations in a ship or airplane, the locations being suitable enclosuresfor containing what is known as a light, rigid, cellular structure thatcompletely fills the locations selected. The extremely light weight ofthe mixture creates enormous buoyancy to thus help preventing a sinkingship or airplane from at least quickly submerging. The places for use ina ship 13 or airplane 14 are indicated by broken lines in FIGS. 1, 2, 3,7 and 8. The method is also suitable in operations of raising sunkenships and airplanes.

This apparatus is provided with a source of electricity such as abattery 15 and is under control of a central station 16 adapted forimmediate use in case of imminent danger.

Patented June 27, 1961 The station may be located at any suitable placein the plane or ship as indicated by 17 in FIG. 8. Valves 18 on pipes 12are hand operable and remain open when the plane or ship is in use.Wires 19 carry current to the various electric operable valves.

The electric operable valves and connections used in the structure arestandard equipment for sale on the open market and their structure andmechanism are no part of this invention. Also the materials used tocreate the desired buoyancy are no part of this invention except theiruse in the apparatus.

From the foregoing it will appear that the apparatus comprises materialand means for quickly producing buoyancy. Any suitable material may beused for the purpose, but I prefer to use General Electric Phenolic Foamas a liquid resin with GE activator No. 12,502.

The various parts of the structure may be made of any material suitablefor the purpose. Also the parts may be made in various sizes andcapacities, depending on the sizes of the ships or airplanes on which tobe used, or other places where buoyancy is required.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, I do not Wish to limit same to the exact and precise detailsof structure, and reserve the right to make all modifications andchanges so long as they remain within the scope of the invention and thefollowing claim.

Having described my invention I claim:

Salvage apparatus of the character described for damaged shipscomprising, a tank containing gas under pressure, a tank containingliquid resin, a third tank containing cell producing liquid for mixingwith said liquid, two tanks for mixing the said liquid and cellproducing liquid therein, pipes leading from said tank having gas underpressure therein to said tanks having the liquid resin and cellproducing liquid therein, pipes leading from said tanks having liquidresin and cell producing liquid therein to said mixing tanks, pipesleading from said mixing tanks to a plurality of places in a ship, allof said pipes being equipped with electrically controlled valves; asource of electric current, wires leading from said electric source tosaid valves, a central station for the control of said valves; saidtanks and pipes and valves and liquids being adapted for creatingbuoyancy quickly in selected places in a ship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS867,983 Lake Oct. 15, 1907 908,016 Lake Dec. 29, 1908 1,156,792 McAvoyOct. 12, 1915 1,704,612 Johnson Mar. 5, 1929 2,073,688 Freygang Mar. 16,1937 2,417,508 Leyde Mar. 18, 1947 2,653,139 Sterling Sept. 22., 19532,764,565 Hoppe et al Sept. 25, 1956

